CHAPTER 17

Diamond lay awake, thinking over her conversation with Estella. She had not *meant* to tell anyone of her dilemma; after all, what good would it do? But it felt so good to confide in someone sympathetic. Estella had listened patiently.

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“So,” she said, “you are interested in Pippin and he is interested in you. But you think that this is wrong, because he is Mistress Lavender’s patient?”

Diamond nodded. She sniffed, and Estella handed her a handkerchief.

“So, Merry was right.”

Diamond looked at Estella with alarm. “What do you mean? What has Merry said?” She flushed to think that her feelings were being discussed by other people.

“He guessed that might be the reason you were not responding to Pippin. The poor lad was getting quite distraught over the fact that you did not seem to be bowled over by his charm.”

“Oh dear. I have been making a fool of myself, if everyone and his uncle can guess how I feel better than I know myself.” For a moment, she thought the tears were going to start up again.

“No, you haven’t made a fool of yourself. But you have to realize something--there is nothing Merry does not notice, if it concerns his cousins; especially Pippin. It goes the other way around as well, by the way. And that is leaving Frodo out, which you should never do, if it should concern Pippin or Merry.”

Diamond chuckled ruefully. “I had begun to realize something of the sort. But you don’t sound jealous.”

“I might as well be jealous of the sun rising or water running downhill. I have no doubts whatsoever of Merry’s true devotion to me. I know that I am in his heart, as he is in mine. But Frodo and Pippin are in his very soul, and he wouldn’t be who he is if that were not true.”

Diamond looked at Estella in amazement. “But what am I to do?” she asked.

“I can’t tell you that; it’s something you will have to decide for yourself. I can tell you what I would do if I were in your position.” She stopped for a moment. “Let me ask you something: *why* is there this tradition that a healer must not get involved with a patient?”

“Well, I have always thought that it must be to preserve my clear judgment, so that I would not be swayed by emotion when I treat someone.”

Estella pursed her lips. “I think there must be more to it than that. If I were you, I think I would have a talk with my mistress. Ask her *why*, and get a full reason from her. And here is something to think on: first of all, Pip’s only got a broken leg. Other than that he’s disgustingly healthy, so he’s not going to be a patient forever. He doesn’t even *live* here at the Smials anymore. And both of you are young--close enough to coming of age to begin to know what you want, but nowhere near close enough to have to announce any kind of decision.”

Diamond’s eyes grew wide. These were things that had not yet crossed her mind, for she had been too intent on keeping her mind *off* Pippin.

“And then--“ Estella continued, “if my mistress did not actually forbid me to do so, because of course your first obligation is to her--I would have a little talk with one Peregrin Took.”

“Do you really think so?” That seemed too simple; she thought of all the maneuvers her sisters used on their suitors. Straightforward conversation had a certain appeal to her.

Estella nodded firmly. “I do. Pippin values honesty, and he understands duty and honor better than anyone else in the Shire except for my Merry and Frodo and Samwise. One day I hope you will know the full extent of that.”

Diamond was impressed. “Thank you, Estella. I’ll think it over. Are you going to tell Merry what I said?”

“Unless you ask me to keep it confidential. I don’t like to hide things from him, especially when I am trying to get him to open up to me.” And now it was Estella’s turn to look a bit distressed.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Estella chuckled ruefully, “you may have noticed that Merry has a small streak of protectiveness in his nature?”

“Er--yes, I might have noticed something like that.” Diamond grinned in spite of herself. She liked Estella’s sense of humor.

“While he’s not really *kept* anything from me about what happened, it’s all been rather glossed over. I’ve had only the skimpiest of accounts. It’s the details that are distressing, and that’s what he won’t talk about--protecting my sensibilities, I suppose.” She smiled. “It’s silly really, ‘oh, we fell in with some Orcs for three days, and then we got away’, as though that were all there was to it.”

“Well, I won’t ask you not to tell him if he asks,” said Diamond. She felt a bit exposed saying that, but she really needed Estella’s friendship, and she had to show her some trust.

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Now she lay awake, wondering what she was going to tell her mistress. It had seemed very simple when she was talking to Estella, just to ask Mistress Lavender “why?” yet now that it came to it, she found the prospect daunting.

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As it happened, she was to get no chance to speak to her mistress for a few days. There had been an outbreak of spotted fever among some of the children in Tuckborough.

Lavender had headed out, leaving Diamond at the Smials. For Diamond had never suffered from spotted fever as a child, and Lavender did not wish to have her exposed. Sooner or later, she would have to be, as a healer. But right now it would be too difficult to get along without her.

“I will be staying in town, at the home of the Goodchilds, as they have three children ill, one of them only a faunt. But there are several families in that neighborhood who also have children down with it.”

Diamond nodded.

“I will tell the Thain before I leave that no one who has not already had the spotted fever is to go into town, most especially the children. I do not want an outbreak here at the Great Smials. There are too many who would be vulnerable to having a really bad case.” Generally spotted fever was not fatal, but it could be, especially with young infants. Diamond immediately thought of little Primula and Drogo, who had been born a bit early.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“There are very few patients here right now: Opal, of course, and young Peregrin, then there is Tib, the undergardener, and we have a couple of lasses in the tenant smials about to come into confinement. If you need an extra pair of hands for a delivery, Mistress Appleblossom has some experience of midwifery.”

“I understand, Mistress Lavender.”

“I will return as soon as I am sure I will not be bringing anything contagious back with me.”

And her mistress was off, leaving her with more responsibility than she ever had before.

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Merry nodded. He was glad Estella had decided to tell him what Diamond had to say.

“Would you be upset, Merry, if I asked you not to repeat all this to Pippin? I know that she has to sort her feelings out, and she will be awfully embarrassed if he knows before she has a chance to tell him.”

Merry frowned. “I don’t like not telling Pip. But I guess it can wait.”

“I’m sorry. At least, you could tell him that you were right about *why*. Maybe he will be a bit more patient then.”

Merry turned his head--Pearl was supposed to be watching them, but she was pointedly examining the small fountain in the middle of the garden, with her back turned to them. He grinned. Good old Pearl.

Estella was thinking the same thing. They stole a quick kiss, and then another, before getting up from the bench to join her.

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Pippin was talking to his Aunt Primrose, who had come to sit with him.

“So you were good friends to Frodo’s mother, then?”

“Oh yes, dear, we were the closest of friends, much like yourself, Merry and Frodo.”

Pippin’s eyes grew wide. He had never realized this. It must have been horrible for his aunts when Primula Baggins had drowned! He remembered his feelings of despair when he had taken Merry to the Houses of Healing, sure that he might be losing him. He reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry, Auntie Prim.” He looked at her, seeing tears in her eyes.

“Yes, we were there in Buckland, on our usual spring visit. Peridot had your cousin Hildibrand with her--he was just a bit younger than Frodo--and the two lads had enjoyed themselves immensely. There had been a large dinner in the Hall, with everyone in attendance. Old Gorbadoc was much more one for formalities than Rory or Sara after him. After the dinner was over, Primula asked Peri to take Frodo back to stay with Hildi. The first of Thrimidge was Primula’s and Drogo’s anniversary, and he was of a mind to indulge her whim for a romantic moonlight outing on the River.”

Primrose stopped for a moment and fumbled for a handkerchief; Pippin looked at her tears, and realized he had never before thought of this aunt as a young girl. She blew her nose.

“Anyway, no one really realized until the next morning that they had not come back, until someone reported to the Master that a capsized boat had washed up, and it was one of the Hall’s. No one has ever known just how it happened, although I can tell you for certain that it was *not* what some gossips have said.”

Pippin held his breath. He knew the gossip she meant. It still had the power to wound Frodo and infuriate Merry, even after all these years.

“It was late afternoon, when their bodies were found. Peri and I were at the waterside, we saw them raised from the River. Unfortunately, little Frodo, distraught because no one would tell him anything, had slipped out, and he, too, saw. It was a horrible sight, and I will never forget his screams if I live forever.” She stopped and blew her nose again.

Pippin shuddered. Frodo’s parents had always seemed like dim history to him, though Merry had never met them either, Merry seemed somehow to have known them anyway. He guessed that was because he had heard all the talk from an early age.

“Auntie Prim, I think his mother would have been very proud of him. Frodo’s the best hobbit in the Shire, you know. In fact, he’s the best hobbit anywhere--if you ever meet him, you could ask the King, and he’d tell you that.”

“He’s so sad, Peregrin. I could tell that when he was here. I hate to see Primula’s son so sad.”

“He went through a lot. But he’s always been sad, ever since I’ve known him. I guess I know a little more of why, now.”

His aunt smiled at him. “Thank you, Pippin, for listening to an old spinster’s ancient gossip. It wasn’t very cheerful sickbed conversation.”

“I’m glad we had it. Cheerful’s all very well, but we sometimes need to know the other side of life as well.”

“Oh, lad, how *did* you get so wise?”

“I think I had it squashed into me!” he laughed.

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His aunt was still there when Diamond came to examine Pippin.

“You are looking very tired, child,” she said.

“I am having to do it all, right now,” replied Diamond. “I know you have heard about the spotted fever outbreak?”

Primrose nodded, but Pippin perked his ears up.

“What’s that? I hadn’t heard.”

“There are several cases of spotted fever in the town, and Mistress Lavender is having to stay there to see to it, as she does not want to risk bringing the infection here.”

Pippin looked at her with concern. She did look tired. Her lovely eyes were shadowed, she was pale, and her curls were escaping from their confinement. He hoped that she did not have to work too hard with her mistress gone.

She checked him over thoroughly.

“You are doing quite well, Sir Peregrin.”

He gave a start to hear her calling him by his Outland title. He peered at her to see if she was being sarcastic. But her eyes twinkled a bit, and she was suppressing a smile.

“I’ve been hearing stories about you.”

“Oh.” Probably Estella. That was hopeful.

Just then there came a knock at the sitting room door, and one of the servants stuck her head in. “Miss Diamond? Mistress Appleblossom’s asked me to find you. Moss Heathertoes is all broke out in spots.”

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